[Grumpy Bear]

With the weather looking decent next weekend and I am itching to get out for a night (or two). Days are finally longer and a sunny weekend, count me in. But I don’t really have the gear for snow camping. One option that is close to me is the Corvallis to Coast. Has anyone here hiked that? I’m thinking of starting at Big Elk CG and heading west. It is like 28 miles and pretty flat. Like about 2000’ total climb (a bit more decent). And a lot is on forest road. Unless the ice storm hit it bad, I think I will do it as an overnight. But uncertain about water. Most of the culverts are running right now so I guess if I am close to a road I can use that. The map says that water is hard later in the year. But where I would want to stay is near Palmer Mt. Which being high, will likely have less runoff. Does anyone have any experience or advice on this trail? I live kind of near it and I keep saying I am going to do some of it. And the trail portion really seems to start at Big Elk. This could be the weekend (OK, next weekend could be the weekend)

[treeswarper]

Take a machete to cut out salmonberry? The roads and I'll assume trails too, get overgrown very quickly in that part of the world.

[Grumpy Bear]

Hmmn. How much of it would you say borders into bushwackkng?

[treeswarper]

I wouldn't. I've just worked in that part of the Coast Range and the brush, mainly salmon berry grows like crazy. We carried machetes to hack through it while working. Might not be a problem if the trail is brushed out yearly.